Thankful
by sandybeliever
Summary: Just a short one-shot. Title says it all.


**Thankful**

Since all tables and booths were currently occupied, the two off-duty detectives lounged against the bar at The Pits and surveyed the room.

"Here you go, gentlemen," Huggy said as he placed their first beers of the night down on the bar between them.

"Thanks, Huggy," Hutch said, glancing back. Hutch picked up his beer but before taking a sip, he held it in front of his mouth to block what he was about to say. He leaned toward his partner. "Don't look now, Starsk, but that brunette with the mile-long legs is checking you out." He smirked then took a long swallow before putting the glass back down on the bar.

Starsky turned to pick up his own beer but didn't acknowledge what Hutch had said. He took a sip and continued to stare straight ahead at the singer who was currently mutilating an acoustic version of Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here.'

"Starsk?"

"Yeah?"

"I said, that brunette is trying to get your attention."

Starsky glanced over quickly then turned his attention back to the singer. "Uh huh."

Hutch looked from his partner to the pretty woman across the room. He shrugged at her. She gave a pout and turned back to her friends. "Sorry, I thought she seemed like your type." Starsky turned to put the beer back on the bar and gave a non-committal nod. Hutch studied his friend for a minute before reaching for his own beer. He forced his tone to sound light. "Things seem to be slow for you, lately."

"How do you mean?" Starsky asked as he clapped for the singer.

"I haven't seen you take anyone home with you in weeks."

"Nothing wrong with that," Starsky said, downing his drink and waving to Huggy for a refill.

"Well, no. I guess there is nothing wrong with that." Hutch paused while the singer introduced his next selection, 'Only Women Bleed.' "Really?" Hutch asked no one in particular. Starsky snorted a laugh in response. "That song is just awful."

"It's alright," Starsky said. "It isn't about what you think, Hutch."

Hutch turned around to face the bar and the barkeep. "Huggy, what is with this guy?"

"Hey, don't look at me, he's your partner," Huggy replied, hands up in front of him in defense.

Hutch shook his head as he squeezed his eyes shut. "No, not _him_," Hutch pointed over at Starsky, "him!" He jabbed his thumb over his shoulder at the man desperately trying to sound like Alice Cooper.

Huggy's eyes widened and he nodded his understanding. "I owed someone a favor and this is what they asked for in return. I think that's their girlfriend's brother or something."

"Please tell me this is a one-time thing," Hutch pleaded.

"Oh, don't worry. I'll lose business if I have this guy on more than one set."

Hutch turned toward Starsky. "You want to go to that disco place you like?"

Starsky shook his head. "Nah, I'm going to hit the hay early tonight."

Hutch turned back around, "Not a bad idea. Maybe I'll get some fishing in tomorrow morning."

"Oh?" Starsky asked, looking interested.

"Don't tell me you want to go fishing, Starsky. You hate fishing."

Starsky looked innocent. "I don't hate it. Not entirely. And you gotta admit, I am pretty good."

"If you want to come, you are more than welcome. I'd love it, as a matter of fact."

Starsky looked down into his half-empty beer. "Could we just not go tomorrow? How about Sunday morning?"

Hutch saw a table open up and elbowed Starsky to follow him. They sat down. "Why Sunday? What's wrong with tomorrow?" Starsky shrugged and went back to watching the singer. "Starsk?" Hutch watched his best friend ignore him. "Starsky."

"What?"

Hutch took in a breath and blew it out. It was obvious Starsky was being evasive and he couldn't for the life of him figure out why. He wasn't going to let it go, however. "Why Sunday?" Starsky mumbled something in reply that Hutch didn't catch.

"What was that?" Hutch asked as the singer came to the end of the song.

Starsky, pulled a face and said loudly, "I'm going to the Shabbat service tomorrow," just as the room became quiet so that everyone in the bar turned to look at him. "Oh, shi…," Starsky began but stopped himself. Starsky's face flushed red and he waved at the crowd. "Shalom everybody."

Hutch digested what Starsky had just said. "Shabbat?"

"Yeah, you know that's the service at synagogue."

"Well, I know _that_," Hutch said, exasperated. He realized how he was sounding and lightened his tone. "That's great, Starsky. Is your mother in town?"

"No," Starsky said, sounding more than annoyed.

"Well, that's great. Really. How long has this been going on?"

Starsky looked away and shrugged. "Coupla weeks."

"Good for you."

"Ya mean it?"

"Course, I mean it, Buddy," Hutch said grinning.

Starsky smiled and went back to his beer. Hutch suddenly worried that there was a reason that Starsky had turned back to his faith. Illness? Hutch studied Starsky carefully.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Starsky said, sliding his eyes to his left as he brought the beer to his lips.

"What's up with you?"

"Whataya mean?"

Hutch pondered the last few weeks with Starsky. "Come to think of it, your language has been…well, serene."

"Serene?" Starsky scoffed and flashed a grin but somewhere in those dark blue eyes, Hutch still saw a wall.

Yup, his partner was definitely hiding something. "I'm serious, Starsky. Is everything okay?"

Starsky's grin faded but his face was peaceful as he looked over at Hutch. "Yes, everything is okay. Fantastic, actually."

Hutch blinked, not sure how to take that comment. The wall seemed to drop away from inside Starsky. "Oh." It was all Hutch could think of to say. He had been ready for an argument.

"Look, Hutch, don't get yourself in a tizzy just because I am going to synagogue."

"And not swearing," Hutch added, pointing at Starsky as if was accusing him. He pinched his lower lip with his thumb and forefinger and looked over at the ladies that he had been admiring earlier. "And not sleeping with women." Hutch leaned back to study Starsky some more.

Starsky dropped his head down and shook it slowly back and forth, his eyes closed but a smile played on his lips.

"What are you becoming a monk or something?" Hutch asked, then back pedaled. "Okay, okay, Jewish people don't become monks. What is your version of a monk?"

"Stop," Starsky said simply. He looked up at Hutch with a grin.

"Starsky, something is up with you. What's wrong?" Hutch repeated.

Starsky turned in his chair and leaned both elbows on the table, glad that the so-called music had stopped and the bar had temporarily emptied out a bit. He leaned toward Hutch. "Something may be up but I told ya, nothin's wrong." Seeing his friend was still not convince Starsky got up and went to the bar, he came back with another beer for Hutch and a shot of what looked like whiskey for himself. He took the chair he was sitting in and turned it backwards then straddled it with his legs as he sat down. He downed the shot, puckering up his face for a moment as he did so. He folded his arms and leaned them on the chair back.

"Look," he began then paused. "It's just that...well, you and I, we're buddies." Starsky paused.

"Yeah, have been from the start," Hutch said with a smile. He could see Starsky was uncomfortable with the topic but he wasn't sure why as they had always been open about their feelings. He resisted the urge to put a comforting hand on his friend's forearm.

"Well, you've been through some scary shit, er, stuff. Ya know, that plague. Almost lost you." Starsky's voice got quiet and he swallowed hard. "When you were trapped in the canyon and I couldn't find you…"

"Hey, that was a long time ago." This time Hutch did give Starsky's arm a quick pat but pulled his hand away quickly, not wanting to embarrass him in the busy bar.

"Well, yeah, but there is always the chance something else could happen." Starsky reached over and fiddled with the salt and pepper shakers on the table. "It's just, well…"

"What?"

Starsky took in a deep breath and quickly glanced up into Hutch's eyes but then looked away. "Well, I've been talking to God."

Hutch sat up straighter. "Oh? Oh," he stammered.

"And I've asked Him to, ya know, take care of you."

Hutch felt his stomach flutter and he smiled. "Aw, Starsk." Hutch glanced around, suddenly feeling very vulnerable in the public spot.

"I've made some deals with Him in the past. 'Get us through this and I promise I'll be a better person' type of thing."

"I've made those same deals."

"Have ya?" Starsky asked, meeting Hutch's eyes again. Seeing him nod gave Starsky more courage. "Well, I'm sticking with that deal this time. Or trying to anyway." Starsky shrugged and looked away nervously.

Hutch opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the waitress. "Need anything, boys?"

"Uh, no, Theresa. I'm good. What about you, Starsk?"

"Nope. Thanks, Theresa." Starsky grinned at the woman. When she walked away he looked over at his best friend. "That's all it is. I figure I owed Him." Starsky pointed up at the ceiling.

Hutch paused for a minute then said, "Well, thank you. I mean that, Starsk. This means a lot."

"It's nuthin."

"No, really. I'm humbled and I feel like I owe Him a lot too. Maybe I won't go fishing. Maybe I will go to Church on Sunday morning."

"That's nice," Starsky said, lighting up with his lop-sided grin.

They sat together in silence for a moment. Hutch scratched his head and said, "But…"

"Then there is no fishin'," Starsky finished.

"Yeah." Hutch tapped on the tabletop as he thought. "You know, Starsky…"

"Yeah?" Starsky looked up, hopeful.

"I can always go to the Saturday evening service." He grinned.

"Oh yeah!" Starsky lit up. "So we are on for Sunday morning?"

"We're on," Hutch said, smiling happily.

Starsky looked over each shoulder before leaning in and saying, "Love you, Hutch."

"Love you too, Buddy."

**The End**


End file.
